The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-06-11
Written for The .IrkdnsatC Trdreler.
 PALEY'S SNIPE HUNT.
BY FRANCES HIRsEL.

1ncN Wt ceONN at the store at Big Bend, Ark, and were telling stories. It came to be the telegraph operator, Jemmie Pa ley's, turn, and here's the story he told: You know, boys, about my being out on the new J. B. x N. road. just directly after it was built. That was my first year in Arkansaw. We'll, we all boarded at BriXley's, board ing shanty. The town consisted of a church, little apology for freight and passenger depot and few stores. It's down in Cache river bottom, so 1 think you can imagine that it didn't amount to much Well, was jolly green, just out from Boston. The boys at Brixley's were necessarily talking of the fine sport to be had, and sure enough those who did go hunting brought in q turkey or some squirrels. But that kind of sport was nothing, they said; snipe- e-hunting was the sport. They explained to me the method usually pursued; how they went ill a wagon, taking sacks and candles. The snipe would be caught / by one man sitting on log, with a candle by his side and sack open ill his hand. The rest were to beat up the snipe from the surrounding woods, and the man at the sack was to be careful to bag all the snipe within reach of him. l bit like catfish on rainy day, with a nigger on the other end of the pole. It happened that the auditor sent me telegram at ho oAo la T side track at Calico Hill Chat was the euphonious name the town went by) that night from an extra freight at 9:55 p. m. Now, you see, there was no night operator at the Hill, and always closed my office at 6:30 pm. The auditor came once month. Iput the telegram ill my watch pocket, and train just then coming ill, forgot all about it. You see, it was out of my line of regular duty. Dinner time came and it was drizzling. The boys talked ''snipe" until had the "hunt- ing fever' the worst you ever saw city greeny have it. Supper time came, it still was misting rain, but l got excited and the boys fixed up right then and there to go snipe hunt ing for my especial benefit. Six of us crowded into Brixley's hack, with sacks, candles, sticks and some liquid courage. We drove old Badly" the horse, down the road running parallel with the railroad track, then turned of piece from the road. They stuck candle in the hip-socket or the hack, and tied old "Baldy" to sap ling Chat last performance being quite unnecessary We went about hundred yards into a patch ot cypress swamp (ugh! but it. was muddy), then they gave ~Hthe place of honor @ on log, with a candle on either side, some twine and the sacks. I reckon you folks think that they went home and left me there. Well, they didn't. All an accident, though, that they did not. You see, they went forward ill the swamp ito beat up the snipe," they said. They meant to circle round and get to the wagon and then go home, leaving me to hold those sacks. We'll, they didn't. as I have already remarked I was awful proud, sitting on that log, and visions of the amount ofsnipe should bag swam before my eyes. had been sitting there extremely quiet for about three minutes, when the idea to see the time popped into my head, so as to make a record" Well, 1 pulled out my watch, and with it the forgot ten telegram. Nine o'clock, my watch said. Jumped up and called in loud voice to the boys, that was compelled to go to town at orce. They most likely misunderstood, and John Bates called back, "Keep on, "thinking, I suppose, that was tired of holding the sack. called out loud again, ex- plaining my sudden departure and promising to come bsck to them .hc minute I was through with the auditor. All the answer I got was, Keep on." The candle on the hack was in plain sight as turned around, for had been seated with my back to the wagon. I united "Baldy" and started for home. The old horse knew the road, and the team made no noise on the damp leaf-strewn ground. We'll, when got home, old Brixley was waiting for me. Texplained mat ters to him, and told him that would go back and resume snipe hunting di- rectly after seeing the auditor. You